Pipe stabbing device



Nov.` 21, 1950 F. 1 sco-r1' PIPE STABBING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed001;. 24, 1.946v

FL OYD L. scorr BY @KMK lArrow/susa* Patented Nov. 2l, 1950 PIPESTABBING DEVICE Floyd L. Scott, Houston, Tex., assigner to Hughes ToolCompany, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Application October24, 1946, Serial No. 705,421

(Cl. Z55-1) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a pipe stabbing device and more particularlyto a device of novel construction for facilitating the making-up of tooljoints or pipe connections where the two sections to be interconnectedare disposed in a vertical position.

When drilling wells by the rotary method the drill bit is lowered intothe well bore on a drill string comprising a plurality of drill stemsections threadedly interconnected in a Vertical position. As the bit islowered, either when going into the hole or when a new section of drillstring is added during drilling, each succeeding section is brought intovertical alignment with the next preceding section projecting from thetop of the well bore.

A section of pipe or drill string to be added should be quickly andaccurately brought into vertical position above the string to which itis to be attached. However, when such sections, which are frequentlythribbles and fourbles, 90 feet and 120 feet in length, respectively,are hoisted from their upper ends by the traveling block in the derrick,difficulty is experienced in controlling movement of the lower ends ofthese sections to bring them accurately into position for proper entryof the pin into the box and final make-up without damage to the matingsurfaces.

Elimination of this difliculty is of extreme importance inasmuch asdamage to any portion of the pin or box may give rise to leakage eitheractual or incipient. A similar situation to that just described existswhen installing a string of casing within a well and the invention islikewise concerned with facilitating the making-up of con nections incasing being lowered into a Well bore.

An object of the invention is to provide means ior assuring the makingup of threaded connections without damage to any portion of the threadedmembers being interconnected.

Another object of the invention is` to accomplish the indicated resultswith a minimum consumption of time.

A further object is to minimize the amount of labor involved and thehazards incident thereto when making up a tubular string being loweredin the well bore.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a pipe stabbingdevice of relatively small dimensions and weight which may therefore beeasily handled by the operator.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a pipe stabbing devicethat is so constructed and arranged that it will not interfere with theequipment used for tightening the threaded con the interior of the stopmember.

nection once the tubular pipe sections are brought into alignedposition.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thistype of which the accuracy in aligning of the members beinginter-connected is unaffected by external wear upon such membersproximate their ends.

The foregoing objects together with other objects and advantages of theinvention will be more fully apparent from the following descriptionconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a pipe stabbing device comprising anembodiment of the invention, pipe sections being shown in dotted outlineto show the position of the device relative thereto when in use;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail showing a modified form of the aligning andstabilizing lugs.

The embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawing comprises a stopmember l which may be of any desired configuration but the body portionthereof preferably has a fiared arcuate interior surface 2 to serve asan abutment for the pin member 3 on the pipe or drill stem section 4 sothat such member is stopped in its swinging movement at a point abovethe complementary box member 5 on the pipe or drill stem section 6 atthe upper end of the tubular string being lowered into a well bore.

The stop member I is of suiicient vertical extent to assure engagementby the pin member 3 when the section 4 is lifted sufficiently to assureclearance with the box member 5 when the section is swung toward aposition of alignmentabove the box member. Preferably also the stopmember l is flared at lil at its upper end while the lower portion ofthe member is provided with an inwardly inclined skirt Il. It should benoted that the flare of the stop member i is such that` the periphery ofthe pin member 3, rather than the downwardly extending pin thereon, willengage the interior surface 2 of the member. Furthermore, the skirt llhas such inclination with the vertical that the pin will not engage thisskirt which effects accurate terminal guidance of the pin into the box5.

The forward edges l2 of the stop member are flared upwardly andoutwardly whereby the stop is of such width at its upper end that littlediculty is experienced in guiding the section 4 to Preferably,

though not necessarily, desired ilaring is accomplished by having theupper portion ef the stop member generated on an arc (Fig. 2) of greaterradius than the generating radius at the lower end of the member. Theconfiguration thus provided is ilared as above indicated and alsoprovides a rearward wal] portion 9 which is substantially vertical andwhich further assists in accurately guiding the section t into make-upposition.

A lip I3 forms a substantially vertical continuation of the skirt II andthe lower edge of this lip tapers forwardly and upwardly at Ill, as bestseen in Fig. 3. It is intended that the periphery of this lip shall havesuch radius of curvature that it will fit closely within thecounterboreat the upper end of the box member 5 and in this manner theinterior surface of the box member serves as the aligning surface forthe skirt, and consequently for the stop member. By virtue of thisstructural feature it seems apparent that external wear of the member 5can in no way affect relative alignment of the top I and the box member.

At its forward ends the skirt II flares slightly and terminates in earsI 5 which have neither surfaces I6 overlying the annular upper surfaceof the box member 5. These surfaces therefore serve to act as fulcrums,when the stop member l is tilted forward whereby the lip I3 may belifted from within the box member 5 when using the device in theintended manner as will be more fully described.

Lugs 2'1 extend downwardly from the ears I5 and are engageable with theperiphery of the box member 5 and hence assist in guiding the stopmember into position upon the box member and also prevent its sidewardmovement thereon when the guide is being removed from stabbing position.These lugs may be of generally rectangular cross section, as shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 3, or they may be tapered downwardly and inwardly, asshown at I8 in Fig. 4.

Secured to the exterior of the stop member I is an arm 29 havinginclined upper portion 2| and horizontal lower portion 22inter-connected by the vertical portion 23. This arm terminates at itslower end in the yoke 2Q, which is preferably arcuate to iit upon andrest against the pipe section 6, whereby the upright position of thestop member l upon the box member is determined. At the same time thisarm and yoke assembly assists in holding the stop member I rigidly inposition against the force exerted by the member 3 swinging intoengagement therewith. The loop formed by the conguration of the arm 2i]provides space for the spinning rope 25 and the tongs 26, both shown indotted outline, so that each of these devices may be maintained inposition for immediate use when the stabbing operation is complete.

To facilitate handling of the device as thus far described the handle 21is secured to and extends rearwardly of the arm 26.

In the operation of the device it is assumed that the tongs 26 and thespinning line 25 are in position for use in make-up operations as soonas a section of drill string or pipe 4 is swung into position above thesection already in the well. To effect desired alignment of the section1I with the section 8 the device above described is manually positionedupon the box member 5 and the handle 21 is lowered until the yoke 24engages the pipe section G at a point spaced below the upper end of thebox member.

As the handle 21 is lowered the lip I3 moves into the counterbore of thebox 5 for engagement with the inner periphery thereof adjacent its end.

As the pipe 4 and the pin member 3 thereon are swung toward position ofalignment with the box 5 and the pipe section 6 they may readily beguided in their movement to engage the stop I which will arrest suchmovement when the section is directly above the box member. The pin willbe guided into the box 5 as the pipe section 4 is lowered. When this isaccomplished the handle 2I is lifted, whereby the lip I3 rises fromwithin the counterbore of the box 5 while the surfaces I5 act asfulcrums upon the top of the box. The entire device is then manuallywithdrawn radially from stabbing position so that the spinning line orrope 20 can be slipped upwardly onto the pin member 3 or the pipesection 4 as the case may be. A pull upon the spinning line 25 will makeup the joint whereupon an additional tong may be applied above the tong26 for the iinal bucking-up operation.

The invention claimed is:

1. A stabbing device for drill and pipe strings where a lower boxsection is held stationary in a vertical position and a pin section isto be swung into alignment thereabove including, an arcuate stop memberhaving a body portion open at one side adapted to be positioned upon thebox section, said body portion having a tapered inner surface to stopand guide said pin section into the box section, an arcuate lip formedon and extending downwardly from the stop member and adapted to enterand engage the inner periphery of the section to resist the forceexerted in stopping the movement of the pin section into alignedposition thereabove, and handle means mounted on the body portion of thestop member.

2. A stabbing device for drill and pipe strings where a lower boxsection is held stationary in a vertical position and a pin section isto be swung into alignment thereabove including, an arcuate stop memberhaving a body portion open at one side adapted to be positioned upon thebox section, said body portion having a tapered inner surface to stopand guide said pin section into the box section, a pair of spaceddownwardly extending lugs on said member proximate the forward edges ofthe member to engage the stationary section and restrain the member frommovement transversely of said box section, an arcuate lip extendingdownwardly from the stop member intermediate said lugs to enter andengage the inner periphery of the box section to resist the forceexerted upon the stop member in stopping the movement of the pin sectioninto aligned position thereabove, and handle means mounted on the bodymember.

3. In a pipe stabbing device, an arcuate stop member having a bodyportion open at one side and having a downwardly extending arcuate liprthereon tapering toward its ends, ears on the member proximate the endsof said lip formed on and extending forwardly from said lip to fulcrumupon a pipe section upon which the member is positioned whereby said lipis lifted by tilting of the member, and handle means mounted on the bodyportion of the stop member.

4. A pipe stabbing device comprising an arcuate stop member having abody portion open at one side and having a tapered arcuate innersurface, adapted to be engaged by a member to be REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Sousae et al Jan. 6, 1914McDonald Nov. 18, 1924 Crockett Dec. 18, 1934 Graham et al July 2, 1940Graham et a1 July 2, 1940,

